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SACH
Soundings Contents
Register, Please!
Don't delay and avoid disappointment. For a limited time only… These phrases usually accompany a deal that is too good to be true. This was noticeable to me as I swithered about buying a new camera recently. I still use film and the prospect of getting cash back on the purchase of a state of the art digital SLR for a limited time only, appealed to me. However I can report that I'm still a photographic dinosaur because the money that I needed was also, sadly, there for a limited time only. The good news is that there is a deal you can all avail yourselves of coming your way soon. That's to register with the new UK Board of Healthcare Chaplaincy. If you haven't heard of it, don't worry, because it really is quite bright, shiny and new. You can read a little bit about it in the report to the AGM but essentially the Board draws on the work done by the Chaplaincy Academic and Accreditation Board and the Chaplaincy Registration Steering Group, which I was chairing. It will provide chaplains with the vehicle for all the processes required to function as a healthcare profession in the same way as, for example, nurses and physios. The Board is authorised by the professional associations to maintain a register and demonstrate the accountability of healthcare chaplains to the public. It consists of the chief office bearers of the four UK professional chaplaincy organisations and will also have four elected lead officers for each of the strands the Board deals with: academic standards; professional advisers; professional conduct; professional regulation. We have talked a lot about registration as a healthcare profession over the last few years. Now we are in a position to begin self- regulating which will obviously make things easier if and when we are required by law to be on a register of chaplains. Individual chaplains approved by the Board will be entitled to refer to themselves as a ‘Board Registered Chaplain'. Having such a status will demonstrate that we have completed the necessary eligibility requirements, have shown evidence of competent practice, and are compliant with the Code of Professional Conduct and Continuing Professional Development. Here now is the selling point. For a limited time only, in this case 12 months, you will be able to submit your details to UKBHC and providing you can demonstrate the requirements mentioned above (which we all should be able to do) you will be registered. After the transitional period there will be additional criteria to satisfy, so don't delay. Some of you may have submitted details on the voluntary register before, but such data cannot be transferred to UKBHC owing to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act, nor is it comprehensive, so we will all need to register afresh through the Board's website which is even now under construction. As SACH members your membership fee covers the cost of registration, although I can't guarantee this will always be the case. It's an exciting development and the culmination of a lot of work which should help chaplaincy develop and flourish as a healthcare profession. You will be hearing more of this over the coming months but don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Hurry now - this offer expires soon! Derek Brown
President's Report to AGMConventional wisdom tells us that there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. I believe however, that there is a third certainty: change. I only have to look in the mirror to see that. Most of you however are looking as young and fresh as ever! Some change is quite subtle. While on holiday a few weeks ago we did a bit of country hopping around Europe. We eased from Austria into Italy; emerged from Italy to Switzerland. As we did so it was hard to realise that we had crossed a border, not just because controls are practically non-existent but because the change was barely perceptible. In the High Tirol of Italy there were plenty of German signs around; around Lake Como heading over the Swiss border everything is in Italian. So it didn't seem as if we had changed countries at all. It would be nice if every change was so subtle but often it's very noticeable, even seismic. There have been plenty of transformations in healthcare chaplaincy over the past few years and SACH was born out of some of those and as we speak there is yet more to come. Here are just a few: Constitution Because things have altered so much and the landscape of spiritual care has shifted the Executive took a long look at what the organisation is about and we did that by going back to the Constitution and examining the aims and objectives which were set over 10 years ago. You will have had a chance to look at the proposed new document and we'll deal with it very soon. We still have a job to do and I hope the revised constitution will serve us as well as the previous one has and reflect some of the changes that have taken place. CEL The revision of the momentous 2002 document is nearly upon us and is a consolidation of the groundbreaking work of the original HDL. It is to be hoped that it keeps spiritual care high up on the agenda of our Health Boards and we will be striving hard to keep it so by encouraging our members to talk about it and monitoring its impact through the Spiritual Care Development Committee of the Health Directorate of the Government. Competencies and Capabilities Framework This important document is the latest in the series of documents which have done so much to give chaplaincy a firm grounding and a means for assessment by ourselves and others. UK Board for Healthcare Chaplaincy This is a new name for most people. It's quite a radical step in some ways but a logical progression in other ways. It has been the other major topic for the Executive this year. At the beginning of the year a proposal was put to the professional organisations, members of CAAB and the Registration Steering Group to consider the possibility of forming a new body that would encompass and expand on work that was already underway. This new body would have four functions: a) Academic standards, performing the function of CAAB b) Registration, putting into practice the work of the steering group, maintaining a professional register c) Advisory, providing prospective employers with professional assessors d) Fitness to practice, which deals with any issues of competence and the ability to remain on the register. What is significant is that this Board will be offering a comprehensive repository of all that will be needed to provide a truly professional healthcare chaplaincy service. The executive agreed to provide funds to support the creation of the Board in the same way that we did when CAAB was established along with the other professional bodies. The bulk of the money will be coming from the funds that CAAB already holds. It will require that chaplains register with the Board through its website and there will be a 12 month transitional period when individuals may apply to be registered without having to go through any additional hoops. It will be launched officially at the beginning of October but there is a meeting of stakeholders in Edinburgh on the 18 th September to put everything in place. Thanks to the Executive; especially Mark who is stepping down. Thanks too to Fred for the website, Sheena and Gillian for their secretarial support, and also to James for distributing the Journal.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ELECTED AT THE AGM President: Derek Brown Secretary: Margery Collin Treasurer: Andrew Graham Members: We are two members short and will be co-opting people to serve. |
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Scratchings from the TDOThe expected CEL (Chief Executive's Letter) is being scrutinised by committees in the department, some of whom are not up to date with developments in chaplaincy. I have a meeting with them shortly and hope that the CEL will not be delayed for long thereafter. It is a consolidation and development of the HDL which we have all known and come to love so much !! As such it will not cause the sea change of the former but hopefully it will continue to imbed the understanding of spiritual care and the acceptance of healthcare chaplains as health professionals. Recent requests for further discussions on the Data Protection guidance have not so far proved productive. The commissioners' office find it difficult to accept that there are difficulties and retreat behind the mindset that chaplains are really outsiders wanting to know private information. (Rather than health professionals wanting to do their job within necessary minimum information.) Two recent study/conference events have been well attended. At Perth we were joined by a number of prison chaplains to look at the "ten essential capabilities" for person centred care. This was a fascinating and interactive day, of particular use and interest to those for whom it was a new concept. The residential conference held this year at the Beardmore Hotel, attached to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank had a record attendance. Was it the programme? or was it the improved food, the bar, the swimming pool and the gymnasium? The programme I am sure. It was a varied group of speakers who led us through the coming Certificate in Healthcare Chaplaincy, the area and meaning of Pastoral Supervision, research by a Professor of General Practice and Palliative Care , The new Equality Directorate which is part of NHS Health, the Employee Counselling Service, and reflections on research and the recent course of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). At one point we went en-masse to Glasgow University to hear a Professor Sloan who was very critical of the poor standard of research and of inappropriate religious intervention, often by medics rather than chaplains. Over all it was a lively conference. The recently appointed chaplains' course is the next such event and we hope to have an interested group there. Chris Levison Rev Christopher Levison |
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Keep an eye open for blind patients Pauline Topham, Secretary of the Scottish Central Branch of the National Federation of the Blind writes: Could we ask all hospital chaplains to keep a look out for blind and partially sighted patients when going round the ward? Hospitals vary widely. So yours may be a model of understanding and support for the likes of us, but our own experience is that in-patients with visual impairment frequently have to struggle to get the basics of life: access to food, drink and toilet facilities! You will be unable to fill in the menu slip or to open yoghurt or drink cartons. You do not see the tea trolley, cannot fill your water glass. You might be able to walk to the toilet, if only you could see where it is. Nurses are busy, or wish to encourage independence but the impact on us can be devastating. Uniformly, and even in eye wards, our members report that they have a thoroughly miserable time. As a group, the visually impaired have another disadvantage: they cannot complain. They have the same range of ability as the rest of the population, but they cannot see to read and write, so complaints/suggestions are usually impossible. So please keep an eye open for us and say a word to the nurses and our neighbour patients. And if you are on any of the committees dealing with patient disability, equality, could you suggest that patents' disabilities which affect their nursing care are clearly signalled, preferably at the head of their bed, and that disability awareness training is in place when it is needed? Thank you for reading this and if you already put in a word for us, we are really grateful. |
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News from the JournalA short report on the work of the Journal was given at the SACH AGM. In general, things are going well and the new editorial board is working well together. Volume 11.2 is currently with the printers and the quality of articles remains high. There was encouragement given to members of SACH to raise the profile of the Journal, ensuring that it is being read in the medical and university libraries, and that those who are not eligible to join SACH, such as nurses and other AHPs are invited at conferences and other networking events to take out a subscription to the journal. Details of subscription prices and how to subscribe can be found on the website or obtained from: Janet Foggie |
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Found on a prayer request slip in a hospital chapel:“Jesus, be ever my Zimmer Frame.
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You
can find this (and previous) editions of SACH Soundings in full colour
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The next edition of SACH Soundings will be
published in December 2008.
Tel: 01224
553166 |
